Wednesday, February 27, 2008

State of the Bubble: Colonial to Mid-American

How is your team fairing compared to others? Are there any locks that come out surprising to you? How far will Tom O'Connor and his band of bracketeers go to find an at-large? Who knows any of this? Well let me help out with a 6-part series about teams in the field, near the field, and teams losing contact with it. This is the State of the Bubble! Part Three!

Colonial

Bid Range: 1-2Bubble Riders: George Mason, Virginia CommonwealthPlease note that I'm giving the Colonial a bid range only because Tom O'Connor(George Mason's AD and VP) is the chair. That said, this will likely be a one bid conference, only because of recent home losses by the two bubble riders(The Rams lost to Old Dominion, the Patriots to UNC Wilmington).

Conference USA

Bid Range: 1-2Locked Up: MemphisBubble Riders: Alabama-Birmingham, HoustonBy all rights, only Memphis should be in, but when you have one dominant team, one or two stragglers are sure to follow. The Blazers and Cougars are those stragglers, with UAB holding the edge due to a tete-a-tete win and a near scalp of the Tigers on February 16th.

Horizon

Bid Range: 1-2Locked Up: ButlerBubble Rider: Wright StateBid Range is only up because the Raiders won the first matchup. But that was in Dayton and the rematch Thursday is in Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler is playing for seeding, but it's loss at the hands of Drake means a top 4 seed is almost out of reach.

Ivy League

Likely Bids: 1Likely Winner: CornellActually you can start ingraving Cornell's invite today, the Big Red have a 3 game lead on Brown and can clinch as early as this weekend in the only league without a conference tourney.

Metro Atlantic

Likely Bids: 1Likely Winner: NiagaraThis year's MAAC is reminiscent of the AFC Central of the 1980's. Everyone it seems is tied for first. I like Niagara to emerge from the conference tournament, but you could say he same thing about Loyola(MD), Rider or Siena.

Mid-American

Bid Range: 1-2Almost There: Kent StateBubble Rider: OhioIs this the year the MAC Daddies get a second bid? Well the only it will happen is if the Golden Flashes make it to the championship Game. The Flashes made it easier by going in Moraga and toppling Saint Mary's, something Drake, Oregon and Gonzaga couldn't do. Ohio could make a case(given it's upset of Maryland) but unlikely to do so.